2011 has seen some wonderful new developments in the Gifted Education programme. With visiting artists and professionals, such as poet Apirana Taylor, songwriter Annah Mac, Chief economist Cameron Bagrie and painter Graham Fletcher to name just a few. Other highlights included our first group of students working with the Liggins Institute’s mentoring programme; others have been gathering data on our climate and initiated a research project on the impact of our climate on crop growth and our involvement in the local community designing a human sundial. The creative products of some of the students are amazing and in order to recognise these we have begun developing iSpace, a page within the gifted student’s My Portfolio which showcases their identity, initiatives and individual successes.
Gifted Writers Within the Gifted Writers group, students have had opportunities to stretch themselves by working across a range of genre. Whilst many of these students are in the senior school, some exciting story-writing was found in Mr Deadmarsh’s Year 8 class. The following are opening paragraphs to current works in progress. The smell of blood and explosives stained the atmosphere, the reek of death poisoned the soldiers’ minds. Landmines waited, hidden under branches and leaves, for unsuspecting prey, in the form of American soldiers. Gunfire rattled in the distance as choppers soared overhead, like eagles waiting to strike. A young man, around the age of 22, scrambled round the undergrowth trying to escape the explosions of the front line. He was scared stiff, he felt like he was in a never-ending nightmare. The loud bangs of missiles hitting the ground and the screams of soldiers, both friend and foe, echoed across the battlefield, mixing with other horrid sensations to create a cocktail of fear and madness. This soldier’s name was John Stone. He was pulled out of college for military service and now here he was, lost in the jungle of Vietnam. He had looked for someone, anyone, to help him. Chances were bleak, but he clung to hope. Kurt Hawkins A gloomy sky gloated over the abandoned warehouse. Glass smashed and dust lay along the long window sills. It was illuminated by a moon that was mostly concealed by ripped curtains and thick cobwebs that layered the warehouse. The ripped curtains were as red as the blood that had once stained the wood floors. Glass lay scattered across the floor. Windows which were once whole and clear had been smashed and shattered. Dirt, dust and mould piled up on the floor staying there until it was gently moved as a gust of wind came through. Alfie Robertson LENS Mentoring Programme Four Year 10 students took the challenge of working with the Liggins Institute this year, researching with Auckland University mentors Doctors Deborah Sloboda and Guy Warman the impact of disrupted sleep patterns on performance and metabolism. As the abstract for their report states: Humans are regularly exposed to altered light patterns. There are farmers waking early to milk cows, passengers on airplanes passing through time zones, and nurses who work long shifts. These are just a few examples of people who are exposed to altered light patterns. This investigation is about altered light patterns on a living subject. Using a mouse model, an experiment was set up to discover the effects of an altered light pattern on a living animal. The 10 mice were all male and were divided into 2 groups of 5; a control group which had a light cycle that coincided with the natural light outside, and a ‘disturbed’ group which had a constantly changing light cycle. The students tested the effects of the different light cycle in a number of ways including measuring weight, food intake, voluntary physical activity, cognitive responses and metabolic hormones. It was found that the disturbed mice experienced a decrease in physical and cognitive performance, and unexpected fluctuations in food intake and metabolic hormones. The disrupted mice did not put on weight or increase/decrease food intake. This information provided a solid base from which some conclusions could be drawn, although some data remained inconclusive. It is acknowledged that further study would be required over an extended period of time in order to draw accurate conclusions and improved, more reliable results. Eden Hawkins and Sarah McQueen These young scientists’ research and report writing skills have developed and their hard work has been rewarded with Highly Commended awards at the Manukau Science Fair and with Silver CREST awards.
Our human sundial project One project that will be completed after this yearbook goes to print is our design for the Rotary group out in Beachlands. We were given the challenge to design and build a human sundial for a headland above Te Puru Park and sports fields. An analemmatic sundial is a particular kind of horizontal sundial in which the shadow-casting object is vertical. The time is read from the dial by noting where the shadow cast by the vertical pin crosses hour points laid out on an ellipse. If we make the dial on the ground and large enough, we can use the shadow cast by a person. Our design, collaboratively worked by Briony Andrews, Max Bunting, Sarah Chen and Anita Lin, builds on the image of the sun and its rays, with an echo in shape to the pohutukawa flowers that line the headland. There was more to do than measure it out and mark off the hours. High level trigonometry, design drawings to scale, researching materials and possible construction all added to the richness of this task and provided a steep learning curve. As part of this project the designers worked with pebble mosaic artist John Botica, drilled holes in concrete and helped install recycled Granger bricks from the early 1900s, bronze numbers and coloured concrete to create a unique sundial which will be enjoyed for years to come. The project will hopefully be completed, weather permitting, before the end of November 2011. Update June 2012: The change of local Councils to an Auckland SuperCouncil delayed progress to a degree. The project has received approval from Council. The funding support is also in place from Rotary and the Council to cover the costs we projected. We look forward to breaking ground with this design.
Term 1, 2012
As part of our efforts to enrich the gifted students we have at the College, we will be communicating any events that we believe may be beneficial for the student or for you as parents of gifted students. This letter is to let you know on Saturday March 17th the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children and Auckland Explorers are hosting a one day conference at Rangitoto College. Explorersis a club for gifted children and their families. It provides a comfortable environment for gifted children where they can make friends with others of their own age and ability. It also provides opportunities for parents of gifted children to meet and share experiences.
This conference focuses on ‘Gifted Teens, their Social and Emotional Needs’ and aims to offer information, resources and strategies to help parents and caregivers as well as schools provide for gifted teenagers. In conjunction with the conference for the adults, there is running simultaneously a range of speakers for the teenagers themselves aimed at broadening their horizons and offering a glimpse of future options. The key note speaker Jamie Ford will debate the importance of mental toughness and its importance in particular for exceptional students. Other presenters include Dr Craig Neville-Manning who will present via video link on what is happening at Google Engineering, Graeme Platt will discuss sequential development of forests – a different theory of evolution and Elizabeth Paton-Simpson will present on some common myths and misconceptions about the law and the legal system. A full list of presenters and brief biographies is available from the website giftedchildren.org.nz
I would also appreciate hearing of any opportunities that you believe would be exciting or enriching which you may have heard of or encountered. Sharing information on these events or experiences will help us build a stronger support network for our students beyond the classroom and increase their exposure to other gifted students.
Term 2, 2012, sees a range of opportunities happening both at and beyond the College. We are fortunate to have both Melissa Pearl, an emerging local writer, and Kate De Goldi visit us and workshop with our students. Kate is best known as a short story writer and an author of young adult fiction. She won the American Express and Katherine Mansfield Memorial awards for short stories, as well as the New Zealand Post Book of the Year Award in 2005 and 2009. She was also named an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate for 2001. The 10pm Question (2008) was shortlisted for and won the Young Adult section of the 2009 New Zealand Post Book Awards. The Gifted Writers’ Group will have the pleasure of working with Kate for a morning on Tuesday May 15th.
To mark Gifted Awareness Week (18 – 24th June 2012), the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children is running competitions to celebrate gifted children, their families and educators. The competitions are open to students living within New Zealand. This year’s theme “Connections” may be interpreted in any way you choose, with entries closing Friday 22nd June 2012. In the Intermediate, Middle School and Senior School categories, students can enter any of the Writing, Photo, Film and Art Competitions. The writing challenge is to create a short piece of writing or poem on the theme of ‘Connections’. While the Art and Photo Competition look for an image – on the same theme with a brief explanation. Further detail for these can be obtained from the NZAGC website or by emailing me, as I am happy to send you the competition document. I encourage students to enter if they have time to work on an entry.
I have had Pecha Kucha Night recommended to me for our exceptional students. Due to the time of the event, it may be better suited for senior students, however, it looks exciting. Pecha Kucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace. The next presentation night is on Thursday May 10th at Samoa House, 283 Karangahape Road (entrance via Beresford Street. Doors are open from 7.30pm with presentations beginning at 8.20. There are door sales only for tickets ($10 each) and limited seating. The list of presenters this time includes:
Grace Pageant of band Pageant singer songwriter on the production of her latest stop motion video, Girl with no Bones
John Lyall Pavilion at Te Atatu Maths, Gaudi, and the rose window of Chartres
William Watterson 1.4 Billion Reasons to go Fair Trade www.globalpovertyproject.com
Max Currie screen writer and director The Day I Woke Up Buddhist.
Ella Mizrahi Celery Productions: Ideas / Events / Design Celery.co.nz
Sam Judd Co-Founder and Events Director / Sustainable Coastlines www.sustainablecoastlines.org
Clint Taniguchi Artist, Creative Director SFO > TYO > AKL
Mike Hodgkinson Entrepreneur How (Not?) To Start A Motorcycle Company www.fxbikes.com
Christina Kaiser cultural geographer Authentiscapes: identity, pubs, and beer
Filip Maric & Mark Allen head instructors Jikishin Dojo traditional Japanese swordsmanship Kashima Shinryu Kenjutsu
Our Year 8 NAIS Challenge 20/20 students have spent the past ten weeks debating how to overcome terrorism, increase world peace and improve conflict resolution at a local and global level. This has included research tasks, heated Socratic debate and skype lessons with our partner schools Rivermont High in Iowa and Joan MacQueen Middle School in California. Currently, students at each of the schools are creating tee shirts designs that promote values such as honesty, integrity and empathy which they believe could make a difference. Working with like-minded teenagers across the world with a goal of changing the way people treat each other has been eye-opening. While the Challenge 20/20 project ends with a report due late May, the relationships being built between the schools will carry beyond this date. This group will report on this project and present their tee shirt designs at Middle School assembly this term. This is their first step forward in promoting a path to world peace.
Students designed tee shirts based on their personal ethic statements.
Kate de Goldi’s visit to the College on May 15th offered our gifted writers a chance to experience the act of starting to write alongside a writer with a clear confident voice. Kate is best known as a short story writer and an author of young adult fiction. She won the American Express and Katherine Mansfield Memorial awards for short stories, as well as the New Zealand Post Book of the Year Award in 2005 and 2009. She was also named an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate for 2001. The 10pm Question (2008) was shortlisted for and won the Young Adult section of the 2009 New Zealand Post Book Awards. The hope is that by exposing them to a range of voices, they will recognise the importance of developing one for themselves. Kate did a wonderful job of promoting the joy of writing through examples of how life has been used to inspire her work and how to appreciate and recognise the small details which sometimes are not seen as being important. She shared poems and ideas for editing poetry with the students which helped them, begin to think like writers. As she reminded them, a "poem is an instrument of discovery" and they all walked away with this wonder re-established in their minds. One piece of poetry written with this in mind was by Year 13 student, Rosalie Liu. Below an off-white ceiling, a swallow surveys smoke-stains. Her mate preening, a hop away - cream, fluffy-pink plumage – muted in the half-light. The lady checks the clock eight am sharp. Windows roll up unholy clanking the mate takes flight. She stays Watching the queues. In the mainstream Year 11 English classes, Kate presented short readings from a range of her published texts and gave them a few strategies for improving their written work. A different voice in the classroom is always motivating. We believe that Kate's visit will have inspired some students and helped others see that crafting good writing is a challenge for everyone. We loved the day with Kate and hope to organise a longer visit with her at the College in the future.
The Challenge 20/20 project is nearing its conclusion with the students presenting a few of their ideas to solve the global issues our team was given. Our team’s global goal is to combat terrorism, with more effective methods of conflict resolution and peacekeeping. While our partner schools in America probably have a far stronger sense of what terrorism is due to their recent history; here in New Zealand terrorism is often something that we feel is far away and even distant from us. It is something that happens in other countries. In order to solve the global problem of peacekeeping, conflict prevention and combating terrorism, our team decided that we should look at a solution that starts closer to home. Terrorism in our local communities, conflict within individuals in the school playground and resolving conflicts before they grow into situations where people are hurt became the focus of our solution. Thinking ahead to a global SKYPE discussion with our American partners, SKC students read Rachel Scott's "My Ethics, My Codes of Life" and began a discussion of what 'ethics' means to them and how they live their 'ethics'. The students used the personal Codes of Ethics they wrote and brainstormed from this to create images. By designing tee shirts based on a collection of phrases from our Codes, or concepts they value; we hope to raise awareness of individual power and responsibility in protecting peace, as well as, promoting the values of compassion, honesty and integrity.
2011 Report on Gifted Programme
2011 has seen some wonderful new developments in the Gifted Education programme. With visiting artists and professionals, such as poet Apirana Taylor, songwriter Annah Mac, Chief economist Cameron Bagrie and painter Graham Fletcher to name just a few. Other highlights included our first group of students working with the Liggins Institute’s mentoring programme; others have been gathering data on our climate and initiated a research project on the impact of our climate on crop growth and our involvement in the local community designing a human sundial. The creative products of some of the students are amazing and in order to recognise these we have begun developing iSpace, a page within the gifted student’s My Portfolio which showcases their identity, initiatives and individual successes.
Gifted Writers
Within the Gifted Writers group, students have had opportunities to stretch themselves by working across a range of genre. Whilst many of these students are in the senior school, some exciting story-writing was found in Mr Deadmarsh’s Year 8 class. The following are opening paragraphs to current works in progress.
The smell of blood and explosives stained the atmosphere, the reek of death poisoned the soldiers’ minds. Landmines waited, hidden under branches and leaves, for unsuspecting prey, in the form of American soldiers. Gunfire rattled in the distance as choppers soared overhead, like eagles waiting to strike. A young man, around the age of 22, scrambled round the undergrowth trying to escape the explosions of the front line. He was scared stiff, he felt like he was in a never-ending nightmare. The loud bangs of missiles hitting the ground and the screams of soldiers, both friend and foe, echoed across the battlefield, mixing with other horrid sensations to create a cocktail of fear and madness. This soldier’s name was John Stone. He was pulled out of college for military service and now here he was, lost in the jungle of Vietnam. He had looked for someone, anyone, to help him. Chances were bleak, but he clung to hope. Kurt Hawkins
A gloomy sky gloated over the abandoned warehouse. Glass smashed and dust lay along the long window sills. It was illuminated by a moon that was mostly concealed by ripped curtains and thick cobwebs that layered the warehouse. The ripped curtains were as red as the blood that had once stained the wood floors. Glass lay scattered across the floor. Windows which were once whole and clear had been smashed and shattered. Dirt, dust and mould piled up on the floor staying there until it was gently moved as a gust of wind came through.
Alfie Robertson
LENS Mentoring Programme
Four Year 10 students took the challenge of working with the Liggins Institute this year, researching with Auckland University mentors Doctors Deborah Sloboda and Guy Warman the impact of disrupted sleep patterns on performance and metabolism. As the abstract for their report states: Humans are regularly exposed to altered light patterns. There are farmers waking early to milk cows, passengers on airplanes passing through time zones, and nurses who work long shifts. These are just a few examples of people who are exposed to altered light patterns. This investigation is about altered light patterns on a living subject. Using a mouse model, an experiment was set up to discover the effects of an altered light pattern on a living animal. The 10 mice were all male and were divided into 2 groups of 5; a control group which had a light cycle that coincided with the natural light outside, and a ‘disturbed’ group which had a constantly changing light cycle. The students tested the effects of the different light cycle in a number of ways including measuring weight, food intake, voluntary physical activity, cognitive responses and metabolic hormones. It was found that the disturbed mice experienced a decrease in physical and cognitive performance, and unexpected fluctuations in food intake and metabolic hormones. The disrupted mice did not put on weight or increase/decrease food intake. This information provided a solid base from which some conclusions could be drawn, although some data remained inconclusive. It is acknowledged that further study would be required over an extended period of time in order to draw accurate conclusions and improved, more reliable results. Eden Hawkins and Sarah McQueen
These young scientists’ research and report writing skills have developed and their hard work has been rewarded with Highly Commended awards at the Manukau Science Fair and with Silver CREST awards.
Our human sundial project
One project that will be completed after this yearbook goes to print is our design for the Rotary group out in Beachlands. We were given the challenge to design and build a human sundial for a headland above Te Puru Park and sports fields.
An analemmatic sundial is a particular kind of horizontal sundial in which the shadow-casting object is vertical. The time is read from the dial by noting where the shadow cast by the vertical pin crosses hour points laid out on an ellipse. If we make the dial on the ground and large enough, we can use the shadow cast by a person. Our design, collaboratively worked by Briony Andrews, Max Bunting, Sarah Chen and Anita Lin, builds on the image of the sun and its rays, with an echo in shape to the pohutukawa flowers that line the headland.
There was more to do than measure it out and mark off the hours. High level trigonometry, design drawings to scale, researching materials and possible construction all added to the richness of this task and provided a steep learning curve. As part of this project the designers worked with pebble mosaic artist John Botica, drilled holes in concrete and helped install recycled Granger bricks from the early 1900s, bronze numbers and coloured concrete to create a unique sundial which will be enjoyed for years to come. The project will hopefully be completed, weather permitting, before the end of November 2011.
Update June 2012: The change of local Councils to an Auckland SuperCouncil delayed progress to a degree. The project has received approval from Council. The funding support is also in place from Rotary and the Council to cover the costs we projected. We look forward to breaking ground with this design.
Term 1, 2012
As part of our efforts to enrich the gifted students we have at the College, we will be communicating any events that we believe may be beneficial for the student or for you as parents of gifted students. This letter is to let you know on Saturday March 17th the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children and Auckland Explorers are hosting a one day conference at Rangitoto College. Explorers is a club for gifted children and their families. It provides a comfortable environment for gifted children where they can make friends with others of their own age and ability. It also provides opportunities for parents of gifted children to meet and share experiences.
This conference focuses on ‘Gifted Teens, their Social and Emotional Needs’ and aims to offer information, resources and strategies to help parents and caregivers as well as schools provide for gifted teenagers. In conjunction with the conference for the adults, there is running simultaneously a range of speakers for the teenagers themselves aimed at broadening their horizons and offering a glimpse of future options. The key note speaker Jamie Ford will debate the importance of mental toughness and its importance in particular for exceptional students. Other presenters include Dr Craig Neville-Manning who will present via video link on what is happening at Google Engineering, Graeme Platt will discuss sequential development of forests – a different theory of evolution and Elizabeth Paton-Simpson will present on some common myths and misconceptions about the law and the legal system. A full list of presenters and brief biographies is available from the website giftedchildren.org.nz
I would also appreciate hearing of any opportunities that you believe would be exciting or enriching which you may have heard of or encountered. Sharing information on these events or experiences will help us build a stronger support network for our students beyond the classroom and increase their exposure to other gifted students.
Term 2, 2012, sees a range of opportunities happening both at and beyond the College. We are fortunate to have both Melissa Pearl, an emerging local writer, and Kate De Goldi visit us and workshop with our students. Kate is best known as a short story writer and an author of young adult fiction. She won the American Express and Katherine Mansfield Memorial awards for short stories, as well as the New Zealand Post Book of the Year Award in 2005 and 2009. She was also named an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate for 2001. The 10pm Question (2008) was shortlisted for and won the Young Adult section of the 2009 New Zealand Post Book Awards. The Gifted Writers’ Group will have the pleasure of working with Kate for a morning on Tuesday May 15th.
To mark Gifted Awareness Week (18 – 24th June 2012), the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children is running competitions to celebrate gifted children, their families and educators. The competitions are open to students living within New Zealand. This year’s theme “Connections” may be interpreted in any way you choose, with entries closing Friday 22nd June 2012. In the Intermediate, Middle School and Senior School categories, students can enter any of the Writing, Photo, Film and Art Competitions. The writing challenge is to create a short piece of writing or poem on the theme of ‘Connections’. While the Art and Photo Competition look for an image – on the same theme with a brief explanation. Further detail for these can be obtained from the NZAGC website or by emailing me, as I am happy to send you the competition document. I encourage students to enter if they have time to work on an entry.
I have had Pecha Kucha Night recommended to me for our exceptional students. Due to the time of the event, it may be better suited for senior students, however, it looks exciting. Pecha Kucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace. The next presentation night is on Thursday May 10th at Samoa House, 283 Karangahape Road (entrance via Beresford Street. Doors are open from 7.30pm with presentations beginning at 8.20. There are door sales only for tickets ($10 each) and limited seating. The list of presenters this time includes:
Our Year 8 NAIS Challenge 20/20 students have spent the past ten weeks debating how to overcome terrorism, increase world peace and improve conflict resolution at a local and global level. This has included research tasks, heated Socratic debate and skype lessons with our partner schools Rivermont High in Iowa and Joan MacQueen Middle School in California. Currently, students at each of the schools are creating tee shirts designs that promote values such as honesty, integrity and empathy which they believe could make a difference. Working with like-minded teenagers across the world with a goal of changing the way people treat each other has been eye-opening. While the Challenge 20/20 project ends with a report due late May, the relationships being built between the schools will carry beyond this date. This group will report on this project and present their tee shirt designs at Middle School assembly this term. This is their first step forward in promoting a path to world peace.
Kate de Goldi’s visit to the College on May 15th offered our gifted writers a chance to experience the act of starting to write alongside a writer with a clear confident voice. Kate is best known as a short story writer and an author of young adult fiction. She won the American Express and Katherine Mansfield Memorial awards for short stories, as well as the New Zealand Post Book of the Year Award in 2005 and 2009. She was also named an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate for 2001. The 10pm Question (2008) was shortlisted for and won the Young Adult section of the 2009 New Zealand Post Book Awards. The hope is that by exposing them to a range of voices, they will recognise the importance of developing one for themselves. Kate did a wonderful job of promoting the joy of writing through examples of how life has been used to inspire her work and how to appreciate and recognise the small details which sometimes are not seen as being important. She shared poems and ideas for editing poetry with the students which helped them, begin to think like writers. As she reminded them, a "poem is an instrument of discovery" and they all walked away with this wonder re-established in their minds. One piece of poetry written with this in mind was by Year 13 student, Rosalie Liu.
Below an off-white ceiling,
a swallow surveys smoke-stains.
Her mate preening, a hop away -
cream, fluffy-pink
plumage – muted
in the half-light.
The lady checks the clock
eight am sharp.
Windows roll up
unholy clanking
the mate takes flight.
She stays
Watching the queues.
In the mainstream Year 11 English classes, Kate presented short readings from a range of her published texts and gave them a few strategies for improving their written work. A different voice in the classroom is always motivating. We believe that Kate's visit will have inspired some students and helped others see that crafting good writing is a challenge for everyone. We loved the day with Kate and hope to organise a longer visit with her at the College in the future.
The Challenge 20/20 project is nearing its conclusion with the students presenting a few of their ideas to solve the global issues our team was given. Our team’s global goal is to combat terrorism, with more effective methods of conflict resolution and peacekeeping. While our partner schools in America probably have a far stronger sense of what terrorism is due to their recent history; here in New Zealand terrorism is often something that we feel is far away and even distant from us. It is something that happens in other countries. In order to solve the global problem of peacekeeping, conflict prevention and combating terrorism, our team decided that we should look at a solution that starts closer to home. Terrorism in our local communities, conflict within individuals in the school playground and resolving conflicts before they grow into situations where people are hurt became the focus of our solution.
Thinking ahead to a global SKYPE discussion with our American partners, SKC students read Rachel Scott's "My Ethics, My Codes of Life" and began a discussion of what 'ethics' means to them and how they live their 'ethics'. The students used the personal Codes of Ethics they wrote and brainstormed from this to create images. By designing tee shirts based on a collection of phrases from our Codes, or concepts they value; we hope to raise awareness of individual power and responsibility in protecting peace, as well as, promoting the values of compassion, honesty and integrity.